Plainpalais is the large open esplanade south of the old city, surrounded by the university district, the Conservatoire, and a ring of streets with the most alternative character in Geneva. The esplanade itself runs a large flea market (brocante) on Wednesdays and Saturdays — the best place in the city to buy second-hand books, furniture, and vintage odds and ends. At night the square fills with skateboarders and picnickers.
The surrounding streets have a strong student and creative population. MAMCO, Geneva's contemporary art museum, is just east on rue de Genève. The Espace Pianos Noirs and several smaller galleries cluster nearby. The bars and cafés around rue de Carouge and rue Etienne Dumont are cheap by Geneva standards and lively in the evenings. This is also where you will find the city's most consistently good pizza and the highest density of vegetarian-friendly restaurants.